Cooling apparatus



Sept. 22, 1942. H. P. PETERSON I 'QOOLING APPARATUS Fudpem 2:, 1940 Patented Sept. 22, 1942 COOLING APPARATUS Hans P. Peterson, Hartford, Conn.,

The Bush Manufacturing Company,

assignor to Hartford,

Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application December 23, 1940, Serial No. 371,282

2 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus employed for cooling fluids, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of cooling-apparatus that is compact in its structure, thereby enabling it to be used in limited spaces, as in aeroplanes where space is lacking; and a further object of the invention is the production of a cooling apparatus the weight of which is reduced to a minimum, thereby also enabling its use in aeroplanes where weight is a vital consideration; and a still further object of the invention is the production of a cooling apparatus that shall be extremely effective in the result gained by its operation.

One form of an apparatus embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric View Of my improved cooling apparatus partially broken away to show construction.

Figure 2 is an isometric view on enlarged scale of a fragment of the apparatus illustrating its construction.

Figure 3 is a view in section On a plan denoted by the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a view of a fragment of the apparatus illustrating construction on th plane 4-4 of Fig. 3.

While my invention i not limited in its use to the cooling of fluids of any particular kind or for use with apparatus of any special type, it is particularly adapted for use in aeroplanes where space and weight are most important factors to be taken into consideration and for this reason I have illustrated its use in connection with the supercharger employed in aeroplanes for cooling compressed air between two stages of compression. In order to operate the engine of a plane effectually at high altitudes it is necessary to compress the air used for carburation to a pressure and density comparable to that found at sea level. This is enabled by operation of what is usually known as a supercharger which commonly effects two or more different stages of compression in different installations, some stages of compression raising the temperature to an undesirable degree which is required to be lowered to a temperature approximately that found at sea level. The air is therefore cooled between different stages of compression when required to a proper degree for effective engine operation.

My improved apparatus is of particular value for effecting this operation between any stages of compression that may be required as it enables the use of air as a cooling medium for the compressed air produced by the supercharger, thereby doing away with weight, the arrangement being such that most efiicient results are obtained, the compressed air traveling in one direction from the compressor to the carburetor and the cooling air traveling in a lateral direction, thereby creating a cross current, the two currents however, being segregated with no intermingling.

In the accompany drawing the numeral 5 denotes the inlet end of a conduit extending from one compressor of a supercharger and 6 denotes the outlet end of said conduit which receives air passed through my improved intercooler from the conduit 5 and conducts it to a compressor for effecting a second stage of compression and from which air is delivered to the carburetor of an engine. The numeral 1 denotes one end of another conduit for conducting air to my improved cooling apparatus and the numeral 8 denotes the exhaust end of said conduit which takes the air from said cooling apparatus.

This improved cooling device comprises a case 9 located between the inner ends of the conduits 5 and 6, as well as between the inner ends of the conduits 1 and 8, said case enclosing a series of open-ended tubes I0 which extend through the case from one end to the other and which take the compressed air from the conduit 5 and conduct it into the conduit 6.

I have found from extended experiment that the most efficient results are obtained in the use of thin flat tubes of considerable width and having thin walls whereby thin strips so called of compressed air are passed through the tubes and are subjected to the cooling action of air passing across the outside of the tubes, as in this manner great masses of air may be quickly and satisfactorily cooled and particularly with the tubes arranged in sets as shown herein. Each tube as a whole is thin, its walls are thin and close together creating a thin narrow space through which the air to be cooled passes, as shown in Fig. 2, a small volume of air being acted upon by a large area of cooling surface when compared with prior devices.

The case 9 comprises a top H having flanges l2 at opposite edges and the bottom of the case may be similarly formed. A tube sheet I3 is secured in any suitable manner at tom edges to the flanges l2 and forms one side of the case 9, the opposite side of said case being of similar formation. Each of the tube its top and botsheets is provided with an opening I4 in the form of a slot to receive the ends of the tubes II], as shown in Fig. 3. Each of the tubes I is provided with flanges I at its opposite ends which flanges are seated against the outside of the tube sheet and which flanges if required for purposes of assembly ma be spun over the tube sheet after insertion of the tube therethrough. End plates I6 are secured in any suitable manner to the tube sheets, overlying said sheets and engaging the flanges I5 on the tubes to firmly secure said tubes in place. A filling I! of any suitable material as neoprene rubber may be placed in the spaces between the tube sheets I3 and end plates I6 as shown in Fig. 3. The end platesslfi are provided with slots I8, in number corresponding with, and in position to register with, the openings I4 in the tube sheets.

To facilitate increased conduction and also to lessen weight the device thus far described and particularly the tubes to increase conduction are composed of aluminum. I

As above-mentioned the'tubes are arranged in sets disposedsideby-side'and extending vertical ly, the edges ofthe tubes being preferably rounded andlnarrow spaces I Q'being left between the *tubesdn eachset, andspaces: 20, preferably somewhat wider, being left between the sets'of tubes.

The flanges I5" on the adjacent .tubes'of each set may abut, if desired, as shown in Fig; 3. The

thinness of the-tubes in the several'respects hereinbefore mentioned and the length of'thetubes as compared with their'cross sectional dimensions are such as to require supports intermediate their ends in order to-preserve uniformity'in area" of spaces-between the tubes and between the sets thereof and for this-purpose intermediate tube" supporting sheets- 2| are 'located at suitable in tervalsapartlengthwise of the tubes. These supporting tube sheets ner, as hereinshown'strips 23 on each side of each conduit beingsecuredto the case 9 and to the ends of the conduits.

are of a' size' approximately that of the cross-sectional 'area ofthe' case 9'and they are provided with perforations spaced apart and conducting? it away.

As a means for securing the end plates I6 and the tube sheets I3 to the case rivets 24 may be employed and the several conduits may be secured to the frame as by means of fastening members extending through the flanges 22 and into openings 25 in the frame shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than thoseabove set out.

I claim:

1. An intercooler comprising a frame with top and bottom plates having flanges at opposite edges thereof, relatively thin flexible tube sheets each secured at its opposite edges to the flanges of the top and bottom plates, said tube sheets being located at opposite sides ofthe frame, flat thin conducting tubes having their flanged ends extending through'the tube sheets, a flexible perforated resilient sealing sheet composed of sealing material for packing the connection between the tube sheets and conducting tubes; and thin flexiblesend plates of substantially the same thickness as the tube sheets anchored at their ends to the casing flanges and clamping the whereby said tube sheets and end plates may flex inunison' flanges of the tubes to the tube sheets upon expansion and contraction of the-conductingtubes to thereby prevent'said tubes from being loosened at the point of sealing contact with said tube sheets and end plates.

2. An intercooler comprising a frame including top and bottom plates having flang esoat opposite edges thereof, relatively thin fl'exibletube sheets connecting the flanges at'each end of the top and bottom frame plates, said tube sheets being located at opposite sides of the frame, flat thin walled conducting tubes having flanged'ends extending through the tube sheets and connecting the same in en'd'to end'fashion, a flexible perforated sheet of rubber nection betweenthe tube sheets and conducting tubes, and a'thin flexible end plate of substan tially the same thickness as the tube sheets for clamping the rubber packing sheet against the, saidtube sheets and flanged ends of the tubes, end plates being capable of flexure upon expansion and contraction of the conducting tubes whereby said tubes will be loosened at the point of sealing engagement with the tube sheets and end plates.

HANS P. PETERSON.

for sealing the con prevented from being 

